A Second Chance
by Melancholy Tiger
Summary: Shepard gives the crew the day off on the Citadel and manages to run into Thane, who has some good news for her. Thane deserves a happy ending just like everyone else got, and this is me giving it to him.


**A Second Chance**

Thane x Shepard

* * *

The music is loud, the fast beat pounding in her ears making her heart race attempt to match it. She is greeted with the familiar grungy aura of the citadel's hot spot bar, Purgatory. She came to drink. Give the crew a day's shore leave. Hell, they deserve it; she deserves it. She leans against the counter and nods to the salarian behind the counter. He blinks at her and grabs a vile and deftly pours a glass before sliding it to her. After knocking the drink back in one swift gulp, she nods for another. She is presented with a new glass, but decides to take her time with this one, twirling her finger along the rim.

There is a sudden warmth on her back, no pressure as nothing is touching her, but there is an unmistakable heat. The salarian has a worried look in his big eyes. She remains still. "Siha," a familiar voice whispers in her ear.

"I couldn't find you at the hospital," she says as she turns slowly, coming face to face with the dark-eyed drell, his hands inches from her hips, almost embracing her but not quite.

"I hadn't known you were coming," he speaks softly, just loud enough to be heard over the booming music. The gold of his eyes have a pink hue to them in the dim, red-toned lighting. They look first to the glass in her hands, then meet her own and hold her gaze. She presses her lips to the glass and he raises a hand to brush a few stray strands of hair from her face.

"Yeah, well I was worried, Thane," Shepard growls, not fiercely, but just enough to get her point across to the drell. "Should you really be here? There's hardly any air." She drinks.

"I have been feeling better as of late, Siha," he says, taking her free hand in his two velvety ones. "I've been meaning to write to you…"

"Too busy dancing?" she scoffs facetiously. His eyes lower and she instantly regrets what she's said.

"Actually, I find that when I allow my body to move freely and cause my heart to beat more rapidly, I am able to stimulate more blood flow, and thus more oxygen," he hesitates, exhaling, "so long as I can handle it."

"How much can you handle?" Shepard smirks at him suggestively.

He catches on. Grabbing her waist with one arm, he pulls her in close enough to whisper in her ear. "As much as you desire," he murmurs.

Shepard practically melts in his arms at the sound of his voice saying something she could only ever have dreamed of. Wait—was she dreaming?

"Thane, wait—how?" she stammers, afraid. Not a month ago he'd confessed to being near the end of his life. "I don't want to hurt you…"

"You wouldn't be hurting me, Siha," he pulls back to show her his smile.

"But last time… you said you could only handle so much," she says, eyes wrought with confusion.

His eyes shift uncomfortably, as if ashamed, but of what?

"Siha, I have something to tell you, but not here. Not now," he says, taking her hand once again in his own. "Let us leave this place."

She nods, worried over what he might say; what it might be. Not sure of what she's doing as he turns to leave, she grabs his arm, mumbles for him to wait, and brings his face to hers in a passionate kiss. "You forget how to say hello?" she asks, grinning, as their lips part.

He chuckles a low-throated chuckle in response, kissing her once more before picking her up at her knees. Shepard gasps, blushes and laughs as the sexy drell carries her bridal-style out of the bar and through to his car. He places her gently within the vehicle and together they speed off.

"Thane, where are we going?" Shepard asks, out of curiosity. It didn't truly matter to her where he took her, just so long as she had him to herself.

"I have a place on the citadel," he replies, his voice deep, "with my son."

Shepard smiles. "That's really great, Thane. Making up for lost time?"

He nods. "What I can. Kolyat has joined the Alliance."

Shepard can see the worry in his deep, black eyes. "Well, if he's anything like his father, he may very well be one of the best the Alliance has ever had," she says, smiling reassuringly.

He smiles. "I taught him what I could before he left. He's a lot like you, though, very stubborn," the drell says, a deep chuckle erupting from his chest.

"Is that so?" Shepard asks, mocking an expression of offense. Looking away, Shepard realizes she is in a part of the Citadel she's never been before. There is more flora here than she would've imagined possible. It must be a residential area because there are evenly spaced buildings peeking out amongst the trees. "Thane," she begins, in awe," what is this place?

"It used to be the Citadel's arboretum before they built housing throughout the area," Thane coolly replies, down-shifting before they begin to descend affront a gorgeous two-story cottage.

"Is this yours?" Shepard asks, eyes wide. "It's beautiful."

"Would you like to take a look inside?" he asks invitingly, extending a hand to her. She nods eagerly and takes his hand.

He leads her up a stone trail and inside, closing the door softly behind them. Shepard takes a moment to look around, loving how homely the place feels. There is a sudden pull within her chest, as if pulling at her heart with a yearning to stay here with Thane, forever. Her eyes fall, not knowing she is being watched. Thane lifts her chin until her eyes meet with his and he holds her gaze. "You seem troubled," he states bluntly, but softly.

Shepard smiles, a tear escaping her eye and rolling down her cheek and meeting Thane's thumb. She laughs sadly. "I just miss you, Thane," she says, raising her hand to hold his against her face.

"I know, Siha," Thane whispers. Shepard closes the gap between them in one swift movement, suddenly overcome by a fervent need to feel him against her, to touch his lips to hers.

"Thane," she moans against him.

His response is a low-sounded grunt. Abruptly lifting Shepard so that her legs are straddling his waist, he speaks, smirking, "Would you like me to show you the bedroom?" Shepard moans her reply and he carefully ascends the stairs, kissing the woman intermittently all the while. They reach his bedroom and he kicks open the door, revealing to Shepard a green-painted room with a small balcony outside it. The bed is nice and neatly made, but Shepard smirks to herself, inwardly thinking about how they are about to change that.

Thane throws her on his bed before kneeling on top of her, now straddling her hips with his knees, and leans in to kiss her gently but passionately. Shepard growls, biting his lip so that it just barely hurts. She manages to shift Thane's weight and roll them over so that she is a top Thane. He chuckles. The sound of him laughing, such a healthy sound coming from his lungs, penetrates her being to the core with sudden realization. "Thane," she begins abruptly, startling the drell slightly, "what was it you were going to tell me?" His brows raise, his eyes settling on her firm, anxious gaze. He is silent for a moment.

Thane shifts beneath her, raising a hand to the zipper on his chest and begins to drag it down, revealing a sliver of green, patterned chest.

"Thane, what are you—" Shepard gasps when she notices it. A thin golden line running down Thane's chest. "Is that?" she doesn't finish.

"A scar," Thane confirms, "from my surgery."

Shepard isn't sure what to make of this. "What surgery?"

"I went through with what Dr. Chakwa's had suggested. The doctor, with Mordin's assistance, is researching a cure, and I have been on treatment for about a month now. I," he pauses, taking a breath, "received a heart and lung transplant."

"A month!?" Shepard gasps incredulously. "I can't believe," she stops, looking down to his chest. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her eyebrows furrow into a look of seriousness.

"I didn't want to distract you from the threat at hand. The reapers should be your top priority, Siha, not I." Thane smiles at her apologetically. "Also," he continues, "I didn't want to get your hopes up, and I still don't. Siha, a cure has never seemed very likely, even if I am feeling better now; the results are unclear, and I am merely a test subject as of yet. Nevertheless, I want to do it. I want to fight against the reapers with you."

"Well I would be glad to have you, Thane," Shepard says, voice barely above a whisper. "What ever made you change your mind?"

Thane clears his throat. "My son, whilst serving under the Alliance, rescued many drell from the reaper attack on Kahje, the hanar's home world. A few were critically wounded and brought to the hospital to be treated. One did not make it, and that's when Dr. Chakwa's proposed the transplant. Kolyat also encouraged it."

"Wow, Thane, this is…" Shepard says, taking a breath, "really, really great news." Her eyes glisten and her lips quiver, on the verge of happy tears.

"There's something else you should know, Siha," he croaks.

"What is it, Thane?" Shepard asks softly, her voice shaky. He beckons her forward and presses a hand to her cheek when she complies.

"I love you," he whispers in her ear. And with that he kisses her deeply, entwining his fingers in her hair.

"Mmmph, I love you, too." In one swift motion, Thane is on her, having reversed them once more so that Shepard lies beneath him. Leaning back, he fully removes his unzipped shirt, completely revealing a lithe, toned chest. "Damn," Shepard breathes. "Not bad considering all the shore leave you've had," she says jokingly with a raised brow.

Thane smirks, reaching a hand down to tug at the hem of Shepard's dress. He raises it just until he can see the satin red of Shepard's panties peeking out. She bites her lip as he leans down to kiss the smooth fabric. After pulling them down and off, he pushes Shepard's thighs apart so as to lean down and flick his tongue across her clitoris. Shepard moans loudly, moving beneath Thane's deft tongue in accordance to his movements. A sensation builds deep within her and it's not long before she is seeing stars, marking her first orgasm of the night. "Thane!" she cries out, and he rises, kissing her lips with a fervent passion.

Clothes begin to shed, and Thane is on her again, buck-naked, throbbing erection exposed. Shepard moans impatiently and bucks her hips against him. Thane's desire reaches its peak and he positions himself at her entrance. Shepard moans, throws her arms around his neck and digs her nails into his back as she feels him enter. He does this slowly, trying to be as gentle as he can.

Once he's in all the way, Shepard's wet, warm walls encasing his ribbed cock, he pulls out and shoves back in, grunting in unison with Shepard. "Unnghh." As he begins to pick up the pace, Shepard wraps her legs around his waist, pressing her chest to his.

Shepard moans into Thane's mouth as she cums for the second time, the inside of her body heating up a notch and constricting on Thane's cock. "Siha, I don't know if I… can last…" he grunts between thrusts.

"Then cum with me, Thane," she moans in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. She begins to whimper and he feels the walls inside her clamp down on him, and cries out, feeling his cock grow inside her as he nears his climax.

"Ah," he gasps. "Siha!" His seed spills forth inside her and Thane bucks once more, thrusting as deep as he can go.

Rolling to one side so as to not crush the woman, he pulls out and falls gently to Shepard's side. "Mmm, I've missed you," Shepard sighs, turning to face him. Just past him she notices something on his bedside table that catches her eye. It's a photo of her, smiling a really happy smile. Thinking back she remembers exactly when the photo was taken. It was aboard the Normandy, sometime before they entered the Omega 4 Relay, and it was poker night. Thane had joined them for the first time, and they were all laughing at how despite his calm and collectedness, Thane was terrible at poker. Shepard smiled.

"You know, there will always be a place for you on the Normandy, Thane," Shepard says, softly stroking the drell's neck frills.

Thane smiles. "Yes, I would very much like to return, Siha," he says, kissing her forehead. "My only complaint is the cot, not so gentle on my back, you see."

Shepard smirks at him. "There's room in my cabin."

* * *

AN: So, worth continuing? I'm probably going to jump into the future, maybe after the events of ME3, in the next chapter. Not sure yet, but I want to give Thane the happy ending he deserves. Thanks for reading~!


End file.
